1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise assistance controlling method and an exercise assisting apparatus for causing a user to run on an exercise machine having a driving unit and monitoring a running state of the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
A walking machine in which a running belt is drivingly turned to enable a running exercise on the upper surface thereof has been proposed as an exercise assisting apparatus (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-288144). In this machine, a monitor is provided in front of a user, and the user is caused to feel as if he were walking outdoors by reproducing real video images or computer graphic generated images stored beforehand and linking a walking speed with a reproducing speed. There have been also proposed fixed type cycling machines having a monitor at front (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 7-250919, 11-137719, and 2000-5339).
A certain degree of improvement to prevent boredom resulting from the monotonousness of the conventional exercise by reproducing and displaying the real video images or computer graphic generated images on the monitor to cause the user to feel as if he were walking or running outdoors. However, a relative moving speed (i.e. reproducing speed) of objects in the displayed images uniformly changes in correspondence with the walking speed of the user. Thus, in the case that not all the displayed objects are stationary, for example, in the case that moving objects such as vehicles and other walkers are displayed, the moving speeds of the moving objects increase and decrease according to the walking speed of the user, thereby giving a feeling of incongruity. Further, the user can see background images, which change according to the exercise of the user in the fixed type cycling machine. However, this only increases an interest in the exercise to a certain extent and can accomplish merely restrictive objects such as an improvement of the cardiopulmonary function through the exercises.
In view of the above problem residing in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an exercise assistance controlling method and an exercise assisting apparatus, which can evaluate a body function different from an original purpose through the exercise assistance and contribute to improving this body function.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an exercise assisting apparatus comprises: an exercise machine having a driving unit for causing a user to do a leg exercise, exercise monitoring means for monitoring a state of the user""s leg exercise based on a driven state of the driving unit, a monitor provided at the front side of the exercise machine for displaying images, display controlling means for displaying an image of a virtual space including an advancing road on the monitor with the position of a virtual camera, which is changed according to the driven state of the driving unit, as a viewpoint, game executing means for displaying a game character to appear on the advancing road in accordance with a specified rule, direction changing means for receiving an instruction to change an advancing direction on the displayed advancing road in response to an operation made by the user doing the leg exercise, and game evaluating means for evaluating another athletic ability of the user based on how properly he instructed to change the advancing direction to make a preset related operation against the game character. It should be noted that the xe2x80x9canother athletic abilityxe2x80x9d is meant to include such as reflex and quickness, which is different from the original purpose of the exercise assistance. Furthermore, the original purpose of the exercise assistance is to improve a body function such as an improvement of the cardiopulmonary function.
With the aforementioned apparatus, when the driving unit of the exercise machine is driven and the user exercises using the driving unit, the exercise monitoring means monitors the exercising state of the user based on the driven state of the driving unit. On the other hand, the virtual space including the advancing road is displayed with a character corresponding to the user as the viewpoint of the virtual camera, and this character keeps moving forward along the advancing road by operating the direction changing means on the monitor screen. The advancing road is straight or even if it is curved, the character may automatically move forward along the running road.
The game character is displayed to appear on the advancing road in accordance with the specified rule by the game executing means. The user operates the direction changing means to make the preset related operation against this game character. For example, in such a mode assuming the game character as an obstacle, the character moves forward while avoiding the obstacle or collides with the game character if a poor operation is made. The game evaluating means evaluates the game based on the skill in instructing the preset related operation against the game character. This skill can be used to improve the level of a body function different from the original purpose of the exercise assistance such as reflex and quickness. In this way, the user can be urged to keep exercising and training for a longer time. In the case that the game executing means is operated, the advancing road used for the exercise may be used as an advancing road for the game or an advancing road separately prepared for the game may be used.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.